Devices for admixing liquids



April 12, 1960 E. KLOSSE DEVICES FOR ADMIXING LIQUIDS Filed May 6, 1955DEVICES FOR ADMIXIN G LIQUIDS Ernst Klosse, Ladenburg Neckar, GermanyApplication May 6, 1955, Serial No. 506,621 Claims priority, applicationGermany May 6, 1954 1 Claim. (Cl. 137-5645) This invention relates to'adevice for admixing 'a measured quantity of a liquid additive with amain liquid, especially of a disinfectant, cleansing agent, or the likeadditive with washing water, which device can readily be connected to aninstalled hot or cold water pipe or to the outlet side of a mixingsystem.

The known devices for admixing a disinfectant or cleansing agent withwashing water, such as are especially indispensable in hospitals,operating chambers and doctors consulting rooms, generally consist of astorage tank for a previously prepared mixture which is drawn off whendesired by way of a Water cock. These devices do not in any way meetpractical requirements and also do not make it possible to use, cold orhot water as desired. i

According to the invention there is provideda device for admixing ameasured quantity of a liquid additive with a main liquid, comprisingpipe means adapted for connection to a supply source, a discharge cockfor controlling an outlet from said pipe means, and a storage tank forthe additive to be admixed, said tank having an inlet connected withsaid pipe means, and a venturi outlet also connected with the pipemeans, whereby a part of a stream of the main liquid flowing throughsaid pipe means can be diverted through the inlet to the tank todisplace additive. from the tank through the venturi outlet and intoadmixture with said stream.

In the storage tank, there is provided a bladder, connected to adischarge pipe of the tank and made of collapsible material resistant toacids and alkalies, so that the storage. tank itself does not come intocontact with the disinfectant, and it is not possible for the waterwhich is fed into the container, for expelling the disinfectant, to bemixed with the said disinfectant. Interposed in the discharge pipe tothe venturi tube outlet is an annular restriction, or pipe orifice,whose purpose is to produce the same pressure difierence as the venturitube in dependence on the desired quantity to be admixed. The storagetank is located above the pipe means or pipe length and is provided atthe top with a closable filling pipe leading to the bladder and with aventing cock. A shut-ofi valve is provided in the feed pipe to thecontainer or in the discharge pipe from the said container, and also inthe pipe length before the branch leading to the container.

The discharge pipe to the venturi tube may be located outside thestorage tank or may be located in the said tank, and in the latter casethe discharge pipe can be mounted in an inwardly or outwardly directed,flexible, tubular extension of the bladder.

The tank can be made of transparent material, or can 1 be provided witha window through which the quantity within the bladder can be observed,so that fresh disinfectant or cleansing agent can be added in good time.

In such a device, especially one having an elongated container, thebladder may become drawn together at the top and the liquid contents inthe bottom part can no longer be passed upwards. Likewise, it may not bepossible for water which has penetrated into the upper part of the tankto be removed through the bottom-discharge opening. This disadvantagecan be obviated by providing in the tank an insert element perforated inthe manner of a sieve and arranged loosely, in the tank. This ensuresthat water which has passed into the upper part can readily bedischarged therefrom. It is also possible to obviate this disadvantageby dividing thetank centrally and connecting the parts by a flanged orscrewed connection and by fixing a cup-shaped membrane to the saidjoint. With this latter arrangement the container can readily be turnedinside out and thus emptied satisfactorily. v

When the discharge valve connected after the venturi tube is in theclosed position, in order to prevent the additive to be admixed passinginto the main pipe, and mingling with the fresh water carried in thesaid main pipe, due to variations of pressure in the main pipe or as aresult of osmotic pressure, the passage through the shut-off member isconstructed as a venturi'nozzle or pipe orifice to which the dischargepipe is connected. With this construction, no further shut-offmembersare necessary in the discharge pipe from the tank and thus, whenthe discharge valve is closed, any passage of the medium to be admixedinto the high-pressure pipe is prevented.

For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how the samemay be carried into eifect, reference will now be made to theaccompanying drawings in which: v

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic longitudinal sectional view of a device formixing a disinfectant with water.

Figures 2 and 3 are diagrammatic, fragmentary, sectional views of twomodifications of. part of the device shown in Figure 1, and

Figure 4 is a partly longitudinal sectional view of a furthermodification.

Referring now to Figure 1 of the drawings there is shown a device formixing a measured quantity of disinfectant with water, comprising a pipelength 1 adapted to be connected to a cold, hot or mixed, water supplypipe, and provided at each end with a shut-off cock;2 and 3,respectively, the cock 2 forming the usual'discharge cock or tap.Branched from the pipe length 1 is an inlet pipe 4 which opens into atank 5 carried by said pipe 4. The tank 5 has an upper pipe 6, in whicha nipple 8 is secured by a retaining nut 7. The nipple 8 is closed atthe end furthest from the tank by a screw cap 9, and branched from thesaid nipple is a discharge pipe 10 which opens into the narrowestportion of a venturi tube 11, located in the pipe 1 and arranged in thedirection in which the water flows through the pipe length 1 after cock14. Clamped between the passing the pipe 4. Also provided in thedischarge pipe 10, is an annular restriction or pipe orifice 12, which,is arranged, in dependence on the desired quantity to be admixed, toproduce in the pipe 10 the same pressure difference as the venturi tube11 does in the pipe length 1.

Also provided in the pipe 4 is a shut-off valve 13 which alternativelycan be located, with the same method of operation, in the delivery pipe10, or may be dispensed with altogether. The tank 5 is provided with aventing pipe 6 and the nipple 8 is the neck 15 of a bladder 16 having acapacity substantially equal to that of the tank 5.

In the use of the device hereinbefore described the pipe length 1 isconnected to a cold, hot, or mixed water pipe line, the cock 3 isclosed, and the cocks 2 and 13 and the venting cock l4 opened. The screwcap 9 is removed and the bladder 16 is filled with the disinfectant orcleansing agent through the nipple 8. In this operation, any air presentin the tank 5 and the pipe length 1 can escape through the openedventing cock 14. The screw cap 9 is replaced and the shut-off member 2is closed, whilst the cock 3 is opened, so that first of all air andthen an airwater mixture passes out through the venting cock 14. As'soonas water only passes out, the venting. cock is closed and the device isthen ready for operation. Each time the cock 2 is opened, the devicethen delivers awashing water which, independently of either the pressurein the water pipe line or the opening of the cock '2, is mixed-with aquantityof disinfectant determined by the adjustment of the device.During the operation of the device, the cock 3 remains continually openand is only closed when the contents of the bladder 16 have been used upand re-filling is necessary. The procedure is then repeated by againclosing the cock 3 and opening the cock 2 and the venting cock 14 byintroducing fresh disinfectant through the nipple 8. The waterpreviously present in the tank 5 flows out through the cock 2. a

n lfit is desired to draw clear water from the tap, the shut-off cock 13is closed.

Inorder to check the level of the contents of the bladder 16, the tank 5is either made of transparent material or is provided in known mannerwith an inspection window.

Referring now to Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings there are shown twomodifications of the device, in which a discharge pipe a islocated'inside the tank 5. The nipple 8 then serves merely for fillingthe bladder 16. With this arrangement of the pipe 10a, the bladder 16 isprovided below the neck with a flexible tubular extension 17 which isdirected externally (Figure 2), or internally (Figure 3), of the saidbladder, and which surrounds the pipe 10a in fluid-tight manner.

The tank Scontains a sieve-like insert 18 which ensures a reliabledischarge of water from the said tank when the bladder 16 is beingrefilled.

Referring now to Figure. 4 of the drawings, there is shown amodification in which the tank comprises two transversely joinable parts5a and 5b, the bladder being constructed as a cup-shaped membrane 16a. Apipe line 1a is connected by way of the stub pipe 2 to the displacementtank 5a, 5b. The tank 5a, 5b is provided with a filling pipe 19 forrefilling purposes. Leading from the filling chamber of the tank 5a, 5b,defined by the bladder 16a, is a discharge or admixing pipe 10a intowhich an annular restriction or pipe orifice 12a. is built.

The outlet from the pipe 1a is controlled by a cock .plug 2a the outletpassage of which is constructed in the manner of a venturi tube 11a. Itis also possible to provide a pipe orifice in place of the venturi tube11a. The plug 2a has an axial bore 20 which is connected to the pipe 10awith the interposition of a stufling box 21. Thus, when the plug 2a isin the open position, the additive from the tank 5a, 5b is admixed withthe washing water in dependence on the dimensions of the venturi tube11a and of the orifice 12a.

The neck of the plug 2a is provided with a square portion 22 forreceiving an adjusting handle 23. Thus the plug 2a forms the dischargevalve of the mixture and at the same time the mixing member and theshut-off valve for the liquid to be admixed.

When the plug 2a is shut-off, the tank 5a, 5b is independent of anypressure drop in the admixing pipe 10a. Therefore it is unnecessary toprovide any further supplementary valves, or the like, in order toprevent a return flow from the tank 5a, 5b when the device isinoperative.

I claim:

A device for mixing fluids comprising a first conduit adapted to becoupled at one end to a source of fluid under pressure, a tank connectedat one end to said conduit, a flexible member in said tank for isolatingthe ends of said tank, means connected to the other end of the tank forthe supply of a liquid thereto, a second conduit coupled to said otherend of the tank, and a cock connecting said second conduit to the otherend of said first conduit, said cockincludin'g an outlet nozzle portionand a venturi portion between said first conduit portion and said outletnozzle portion, said cock further being supported in said first conduitfor rotation, relative to said first and second conduits, betweenpositions respectively permitting flow through said outlet and venturiportions and cutting 011 said flow.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS"967,450 Sholes Aug. 16, 1910 1,545,700 Schmidt July 14, 1925 1,875,022Krueger Aug. 30, 1932 2,033,427 Guildford Mar. 10, 1936 2,120,608Haering June 14, 1938 2,310,051 Baer Feb. 2, 1943 2,323,341 McGill July6, 1943 2,618,510 Mills Nov. 18, 1952 2,707,480 Klosse May 2, 19552,714,963 Lester et a1. Aug. 9, 1955 2,768,638 Henke Oct. 30, 1956

